Assessment of Olive Tree Canopy Characteristics and Yield Forecast Model Using High Resolution UAV Imagery

Greek agriculture is mainly based on olive tree cultivation. Farmers have always been concerned about annual olive orchard production. The necessity for the improvement of farming practices initiated the development of new technological tools that are useful in agriculture. The main goal of this study is the utilization of new technologies in order to define the geometry of olive tree configuration, while the development of a forecasting model of annual production in a non-linear olive grove, planted on a hilly uneven terrain is the secondary goal. The field’s orthomosaic, its Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and Digital Surface Model (DSM) were created by employing high resolution multispectral imagery. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) thematic map has also been developed. The trees’ crowns were isolated employing the field’s orthomosaic, rendering individual polygons for each tree through Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA). The measurements were conducted in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment and were also verified by ground ones. Tree crown height, surface, and volume were calculated, and thematic maps for each variable were created, allowing for the observation of the spatial distribution for each parameter. The compiled data were statistically analyzed revealing important correlations among different variables. These were employed to produce a model, which would enable production forecasting in kilograms per tree. The spatial distribution of the variables gave noteworthy results due to the similar pattern they followed. Future crop yield optimization, even at a tree level, can be based on the results of the present study. Its conclusions may lead to the development and implementation of precision olive tree cultivation practices.